Loaners Ch.1

//*Just as a preface, this is my first real story that I am attempting to write. I obviously am not a professional so constructive criticism is VERY ENCOURAGED.*//

“We need to do something! We are just sitting ducks at this point.”

“Calm down, we still have time. The wall is still intact after the last attack and can last through another.”

“Bullshit! We don’t have any time! We NEED to act NOW!”

Chatter. That’s all that is happening. No resolutions, no compelling arguments, and no listening at all. The whole problem is that the hordes have been coming in at an alarming rate. The council has no idea where they are coming from, but most people guess that it is just consolidation from the north and the south traveling further into the valley to hunt, but no one can know. With the increase in hordes, the northern wall had sustained damage after a couple of heavy attacks, both from hordes and looters. Not only that, but the scouts and scavengers have had a hard time getting around and getting food not only because of the hordes, but also they are having to go further and further out, taking days to scavenge and collect information on new locations. No one knows how to fix this but everyone has an opinion. Except one.

Brad silently rose, towering above everyone in the room.

“Everyone needs to just shut up. You guys need to calm down and have a discussion rather than yell at each other. That is why we have a council. The scouts just got back so Matt will come in and give you a summary of their search in Fontana. I have to head out with the Scavv team in five so I will be leaving the rest of the meeting to Carl to lead. Please try to figure this out by the time I get back.”

Walking out of the room, Brad hung his head. Feeling every ounce of dread and misery brought on by the set of decisions in front of him. As he saw it, there was no way out. Moving was far from safe and staying was just as dangerous. Living in the largest haven east of LA, it seems like everyone else was gunning for everything he and his people have sweat and bled for. Pushing all of these thoughts out of his mind, he had to focus on one thing: feeding his people.

After traveling to Fontana, they started by looting the closest stores to the freeway. The closest store was a massive supermarket. Being two years since the “fall of mankind,” the vines outside of the store had overgrown, creeping up and down the walls, blacking out the windows and blocking the doors. Carefully creeping into the store, the only light was trickling through the dusty sky lights spaced around the roof of the store. No matter how silently Brad’s team moved, every footstep sounded thunderous. Suddenly they stopped. Almost unbelievably, one beam of the light rested on the canned foods section. Everything was intact; almost the entire shelf was stocked top to bottom. Slowly creeping forward, they stop.

*shuffle shuffle shuffle*

Carl whispers, “What the hell is that?”

“Probably some roaches.”

“That must be one hell of a roach.”

“SHHH.”

They took a couple more steps toward the shelves.

*shuffle shuffle*

They took a couple more steps toward the shelves and seemingly out of nowhere, shadowed objects leapt from behind shelves, crawled out from under displays, and surrounded the squad. Keeping calm, the group formed a circle and got in defensive stances. Each equipped with a weapon of choice, they swung away. Necks were cut, skulls were crushed, and limbs were cracked as the group attempted to fight their way to the front.

“What about the food??” Carl yelled.

“Forget the food, get the fuck out of here!”

As they attempted to fight their way to the front of the store, the smallest in the group wass grabbed and pulled back into the store just as they exited the door.

“JUNIOR” screamed Herc, “We have to go back for him!”

Brad grabs him.

“Herc, let’s go! He is gone.”

Herc was a massive brute. Standing and 6’5” and 280 pounds, he wass easily the strongest in the group. Pairing with his size, he wass also the best fighter in the group. He also, coincidentally, wass Junior’s brother.

“Fuck you, I’m going back in!”

He broke free from Brad’s grip and plunged back into the store. A fight could be heard between him and the onslaught of zombies, pouring out from every nook and cranny. Then a scream. Then silence.